Translation by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

We have not found any preaching by the Congregationalists in this place before the beginning of the present century. Mr. G. Hughes, Groeswen, as far as we can gather, began this cause around 1802; and the names of William Gardener, William Morgan, and Abraham, Bedwbach, are remembered among the first members; and it is said they were men of brilliant character and full of zeal for ecclesiastical purity. In the year 1809, a chapel was erected here, which was called Bethel, chiefly through the work of Mr. Hughes, Groeswen. It was registered at the Llandaff court on September 6th 1809 by James Jacob, one of the deacons, and one of the founders of the cause. It was in the care of Mr. Hughes until the year 1824, when a call was given to Mr. William Davies, a student from Newtown college, and he was ordained here. Mr Davies did not stay here long, as he moved at the beginning of 1828 to take the care of the church at Llandovery, where he spent the rest of his life. The cause was but very weak, and because Mr Davies was feeble he suffered many difficulties. At the beginning of 1831, a call was given to Mr. John Davies, a member from Mynyddbach, and he was ordained on the14th July following. The number of members here was but only 38, he laboured devotedly here for five years and the number of members increased to 72. He received a call in 1836 from Ebenezer, Aberdar and Nebo, Hirwaun, and moved there. After this the church here was for some years without a minister and there was a depressed enough appearance on the cause. In 1842, a call was given to Mr. Lefi Lawrence, a member from Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire, and he was ordained on June 27th and 28th. Mr. Lawrence was here for five years, until he moved to Adulam, Merthyr. After this the circuit ministers looked after the cause for some years. In 1855 a call was given to Mr. Sem Phillips, Llangynidr, and he laboured here for almost ten years until he emigrated to America. Mr. Phillips was very welcome and successful for a while.He received numerous new members into the church and restored the old chapel and made it a handsome and convenient place to preach and to listen; and the cause wore a cheerful and promising look. But through some circumstance there arose a disagreement between him and some of the members, and it increased to a grievous disturbance, and in the end a number of people in the church left and built their own chapel a little way outside the township. After the departure of Mr. Phillips the church gave a call to Mr. Dan Griffiths and he was ordained on December 10th and 11th 1866, and he continues to be the minister here. This church, as can be seen, has been through much change and has been struck by many storms. The chapel's debt was a heavy burden fcr a long time and there was much discussion about it; but the church has now risen above all these events, and the cause on the whole has a comfortable look about it, even if traces of the storms that have been encountered have not yet been erased completely.

Translation by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

In the year 1861, a large number of members left Bethel, Llantrisant because of the events that we have already referred to, and they began to hold meetings in a dwelling house in the township. They were not long there as, early in 1862, they went to a farmhouse called Mwyndy, about a mile from Llantrisant, in the direction of Cardiff; and there a church was formed by Messrs J. Davies, Taihirion; J. Morgan, Cwmbach; and J. Davies, Cardiff. The number of members at the time was 73. The following May John John, the man from Mwyndy and its farm, left and therefore the church had to look elsewhere for somewhere to stay. They were given a suitable room in the Talbot Inn by Mrs.Thomas, and that is where they worshipped until Zoar was built. The chapel is on the main road from Llantrisant to Cardiff and within half a mile of the highest point. The ground was given by Mr. Insole on a lease of 30 shillings a year. The chapel was opened on November 24th and 25th 1862. The church depended on the assistance of ministers and teachers around the country for more than six years; but in the summer of 1868, they agreed with the church in Castellau to give a call to Mr. William Cranog Davies, a student at Brecon college, and he was ordained on July 29th and 30th. On that occasion Professor Roberts, Brecon, preached upon the nature of the church, questions were examined by Mr. J.B. Jones, B.A; the ordination prayer was raised by Mr.J. Davies, Taihirion: Mr. J. Williams, Newcastle, preached to the minister and Mr. J. Davies, Cardiff, to the church. Mr Davies continues to labour here and there is a shining and prosperous look on the cause even though this church, like so many others in this country has suffered much during the last three years because of the frequent migrations to America, mainly due to the market depression. Here there are many faithful people, even though there are no notable characters to record.

Translation by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

This place is in Llantrisant parish, on the road to Pontypridd. A number of members belonging to Cymer were living in the area at the end of the last century, and they would usually go there regularly although there was a rough mountain to cross. Mr. M. Jones would occasionally preach in the neighbourhood from the year of 1791 until the end of his ministry. He would preach in Trefyrhyg Isaf where Thomas Jenkins lived, in Ty-mab-Ellis, where John Jenkins lived, and held religious meetings occasionally in Gelynog Fawr where William Jenkins lived. These three were brothers and they were faithful to the cause, and some of their descendants continue to be useful members in the place. After Mr. Joshua Evans came to Cymer, he would come every month to the district, but not to the same places that Mr. M. Jones, because by then other people were living in them. Mr. Evans would frequently preach in Melin, Trefyrhyg, where resided an elderly faithful sister named Phoebe. There was much talk about building a chapel here and the district had suffered a geat loss when this was not done thirty years previously; but there was no one here with the heart to take on the task. Colonel Smith, of Castellau, a kindly gentleman in the district, felt grievously for those who sought means of grace and seeing them under this kind of inconvenience he gave them ground to build a chapel, and took the most of the expense of the building work himself, having made a plan of the property, and this continued to increase the vast expense, but he paid the whole himself except for 60 pounds that he left the people to find. He promised a lease of 999 years with a yearly rent of one shilling; but because of some neglect it has not yet been received. The chapel was opened on November 22nd and 24th 1843. The place was in the care of Mr. Evans, Cymer, until his death, and afterwards, Messrs D. Stephens, Glantaf, and H. Oliver, B.A., Pontypridd, continued to care for the place; and the cause greatly increased during their term of ministry , even though they could only give a small portion of their time to serve this church. In 1866, a call was given to Mr. W.C. Davies to be the minister here and he was ordained, as has been already mentioned, in Zoar, Llantrisant, on July 29th and 30th, and the following day a meeting was held here when it was led by Messrs. T.C. Williams, Canton; J.B. Jones, B.A. Bridgend; J. Evans, Maendy (on behalf of the church); J. Thomas, Salem, Aberdar; D. Thomas, Abercanaid, and J. Farr, Awstralia. Mr. Davies continues to labour here with approbation, and as the chapel has become too small, so extending it has been suggested.

Only one preacher has been raised from here namely William C. Jenkins, educated in Carmarthen college, and who is now a minister in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.